This is my first posting, so please bear with me everyone! I would like to try and be brief and explain my entire situation first, then ask a few basic questions. My wife and I own a home with a fenced in back yard. We rescued two pit bulls (Male and Female, both about 3 yrs old now) which we have had for several years and rescued two siamese cats (Male and Female about 5 yrs old and 2 years old). They all get along fine. The male pit bull shows dog aggression on walks but not towards the female. I have recently watched the "Establishing Pack structure with a family pet" and "Dominant and Aggressive dogs" and they answered almost all of my questions. I also think that many of our little "issues" will vanish after going through the groundwork program. I am going to start the groundwork program in a few weeks, after I review the DVDs again. I am also going to start them all on a BARF diet as well. A few of my questions and concerns are:
1- How can I figure out who is for sure the dominant dog? I think I have to feed, walk, train and take to the bathroom the dominant one first. I believe it is the male, although they both show dominance at times and both show submissiveness at times.
2- Do I leave a bucket of water in their crate at all times?
3- What is the overall opinion on vaccines and heatguard and frontline? I'm supposed to bring them for lyme booster in a few days...

I think that is all for now. Sorry if I carried on. I truly appreciate anyone who reads this and responds. Thank you.

Marc Mathews

Welcome Marc!

I wanted to say that you have definitely come to the right place to learn and grow as a dog owner. There is so much here for you to read, watch and learn. There are many highly experienced members who will help you as well.

I will defer your questions to those more experienced then myself.
Welcome to the board!

Hey Marc. I don't know what the issues are, but generally speaking, there isnt a dominant dog. Its you that controls everything. You say they're not aggressive towards each other, take them out at the same time on leashes or whichever one first, it's up to you.

The water depends, some dogs will drink as needed, some like my two shepherds will spill it all before they have a single drink.

I only get a rabies shot, I give heartguard only during the months mosquitos are active and I only use the flea-tick/frontline type stuff when we go camping. Most of the time I just use a flea shampoo. Those last two things are going to depend on where you are located though, so you can't rely on what I do here.

Welcome to the forum.

Welcome to the forum Marc.

I would not give any Lyme shots. I have heard, repeatedly,that they are not very effective & often cause a variety of reactions. I don't give anything other then Parvo/Distemeper at 12 & 18 weeks & rabies at a year. Then titer every few years after that.

I use frontline monthly, as we have ticks here pretty much all year now that the weather in my area( So East, CT) is not that cold most of the year anymore. I have pulled ticks off of my horse in January & February most years. My dogs are out in higher grass & woods areas freequently & acres of woodlands behind my back fence, & Lyme & other tick-driven diseases are prevelant in my area, Connecticut.(Lyme disease was first discovered here in Lyme, CT) I also have natural coat conditioning spray from my Holestic vet that repells fleas & ticks that I use when I know I am going to work my dogs in a more heavily infested area.

I also use Heartguard pretty much year round also. My dogs are are at the barn & other areas that are heavly worm infested & heartguard kills a number of these critters. I would most likely give these (heartguard & Frontline) less freequently if my lifestyle would put my dogs in less of a risk of exposure. JMO